Navigating emotional clients

Get It!

Veterinary professionals routinely encounter emotionally charged client interactions fueled by stress, uncertainty, and concern for pets. In this session, a veterinary criticalist and social worker explore real-world scenarios of heightened client emotion and offer a dual-perspective approach to navigating these challenging encounters. Through practical case examples, participants will learn how to manage client expectations, defuse emotional outbursts, and address miscommunication with empathy and professionalism. Come away with tools for maintaining composure and compassion in the face of client distress, which can improve client relationships and safeguard team wellbeing.

This session originally was presented at AVMA’s 2026 Veterinary Leadership Conference.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

  • Recognize common, emotionally charged client behaviors—such as anger, fear, and distress—and understand their underlying causes.
  • Identify effective strategies for de-escalating high-tension situations, delivering difficult news with empathy, and managing expectations and miscommunications during emotionally intense interactions.
  • Gain insights into a social worker’s perspective on supporting clients in distress while maintaining boundaries and protecting the mental health of the veterinary team. 
  • Explore the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration between veterinary professionals and social workers to foster more positive outcomes during emotionally charged client interactions.


 

Dr. Marie Holowaychuk is a passionate advocate for mental health and wellbeing in veterinary medicine. A board-certified emergency and critical care specialist with over 20 years of experience, she is dedicated to helping veterinary professionals build sustainable, meaningful careers.

After completing advanced training in the United States, Marie spent five years on faculty at the Ontario Veterinary College, where she taught, mentored, and conducted research. Her diverse experience across academic, private, and corporate practice settings fueled her commitment to addressing burnout, compassion fatigue, and mental health stigma within the veterinary field.

Marie is the founder of Reviving Veterinary Medicine, a platform offering evidence-based resources and programs designed to support self-care, boundary-setting, and effective communication. Her popular online offerings—From Burnout to Balance and Building Better Boundaries—have helped countless veterinary team members reclaim their wellbeing.

As a certified coach, yoga and meditation teacher, and wellness facilitator, Marie delivers engaging keynotes, workshops, and webinars worldwide. She is known for her approachable style, weaving together clinical expertise, personal stories, and practical strategies to inspire lasting change.

Marie is also the host of the Reviving Vet Med Podcast and an accomplished writer, with over 30 peer-reviewed articles and multiple book chapters to her name. Her forthcoming book, A Compassionate Calling: What It Really Means to be a Veterinarian (publishing September 2025), offers a candid exploration of the challenges and rewards of a veterinary career, shedding light on the emotional complexities and deep sense of purpose that drive those in the profession.

Her work has earned recognition including the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association’s Communication Award and the Alberta Blue Cross Face of Wellness Award.

Whether speaking, coaching, or writing, Marie’s mission is to foster a culture of compassion, balance, and support—empowering veterinary professionals to thrive in their careers and lives.

 

Kira Valentine is a licensed clinical social worker and certified veterinary technician with over two decades of experience in emergency and critical care settings, including more than half of that time in leadership roles across the East Coast. With a unique blend of clinical expertise, nonprofit leadership training, and mental health qualifications, she brings a holistic and compassionate approach to her work. Kira specializes in grief and loss support, leadership and veterinary management coaching, and career development for veterinary professionals at all levels.



Get It!